REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 9.—Senator M.
A. Hanna wore a look of supreme contentment to-day when he left
the house where the President is lying bravely battling with death.
He felt absolutely certain that the President’s recovery is only
a matter of a few weeks, and he dictated this statement to The Republic
correspondent:
“You may say for the information of
the American people that all the news we have is good news. We know
that the greatest danger is past. We hope that in a few hours the
President’s physicians will announce that his case is beyond the
possibility of a relapse.
“Just say that for me, and I think
it will give more satisfaction than if I talked a column.”
“You have no fears that there may
be a change for the worse?” I asked.
“That reminds me of a dream I had
last night. You know, dreams go by contraries. Well, sir, in this
dream I was up at the Milburn house waiting to hear how the President
was getting along, and everybody was feeling very good. We thought
the danger was all past. I was sitting there talking with General
Brooke and Mr. Cortelyou, and we were felicitating ourselves on
how well the physicians had been carrying the case.
“Suddenly, in my dream, Doctor McBurney
entered the room through the door leading from the sickroom with
a look of the utmost horror and distress on his face. I rushed up
to him and, putting a hand on either shoulder, said:
“‘What is it, doctor, what is it?
Let us know the worst.’
“Doctor McBurney replied: ‘My dear
Senator, it is absolutely the worst that could happen. The President
has had a tremendous change for the worse. His temperature is now
440 degrees.’
“I fell back in my chair in utter
collapse, and then I awoke. But, do you know, I couldn’t rest easy
until I saw the early bulletins this morning.”
Senator Hanna expects to leave Buffalo
to-morrow morning for Cleveland to spend the day with the veterans
of the Grand Army of the Republic, whose annual encampment is now
being held there. The President was to have attended this encampment
and the shooting has sadly disarranged the veterans’ plans.